Improvement in steam safety-valves



l @initd GILBERTl H. cLnMnNs, or lNew YORK, N. Y. Liana-s raam No.85,792, dated .Tawny 12, 1869.

.QIIMPROT'IEHVJIENTY IN STEAM SAFETY -VAL'VES The Schedule referred tointhese Letters Patent and' making part of the same'.

'To all whom 'it fina/y concern Be it known that I, GILBERT H. GLEMnNs,of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Combined Lock-Up Safety-Valves and Low`WaterIndicator for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the folnlowing is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, making part-of this specification, in which- Figure lis avertical central section of one construction of said invention;

Figure -2 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a vertical central section of another construction of -saidinvention; and

Figure`4 is a plan view thereof.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the iiguresjof the drawings. y v

`The characteristic features of my said invention are chiefly, and 'in'generaT, as follows', viz: "s

. First. The construction of the safety-valve for steamgenerators,whereby it is opened and closed by expansion and contraction of themetal -connections therewith, and the arrangement with it of asteam-pressure' indicator-valve, which last, at excessive pressure ofsteam in the boiler, opens, and escapes steam from the boiler, whichescape steam acts upon said metal connections to increase theirtemperature, expanding and lengthening them, and thereby causing themthem to force open the safety-valve and relieve the boiler of excessivepressure of steam within it.

Second., The construction of the safety-valve devices Ywaterindicator-valve, which last is adapted to escape steam from the boilerat low water in such a manner that the escape steam acts upon said metalconnections, to expand and lengthen them, causing them to force open thesafety-valve 'and relieve the boiler at low water.

Third. 'The combination, with said safety-valve, of both thesteam-pressure and low-waterindicator-valve so as'to relieve the boilerby opening the safety-valvev both at excessive pressure of steam and atlow water.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, l willnow proceed to describe its construction and operation, making referenceto the drawings, and tirstdescribing that construction .of my inventionshown in iigs. l and 2.

a,l isV a safety-valve, seated, at its periphery, on a valve-seat, b,formed at the edge of a circular aperture in a base-plate c, whichy lastis fastened to the steamboiler by a steam-joint,with the aperture placedconcentrically over an outlet-port in the boiler.

d is a-'vertical metal cylinder, cast or attached by a steam-joint tothe safety-valve a, concentric with it, and screwed into or connected atits upper open end,

by a steam-joint, to a circular plate, e, which last is supportedonvertical rods or ports ff, screwed into or attached at their lowerends to the base-plate o.

g'g are rubber cushions between the' heads of' the bolts ff and platec,- but they may be dispensed with,

and be substituted by suitablespaces left between the bolt-heads andplate e, for the hereafter-described upward-lengthening movement of thecylinder d. K

p his a vertical projection ou the valve-plate a, having a verticalport-hole, t', through its centre and the valve-plate a, and havingavalve-seat formed onl its m m are outlet-port-holes through the ange Z,for I free escape o'f steam from theva'lve. v

n n are metal weights, in the form of rings, which are placed on thevalve-stem j, and supported .by a flange at its lower end. The topmostring is fitted fast on the stem j to keep theother Weights down in placeon 'the valve-stem.

The upper end of the valve-stem j terminates in 'an iannular chamber, o,of a dome formed on the plate e. Port-holes in the plate e formsteam-passage ways from the'cylinder l to the chamber 0.

Through a circular aperture in the top of the dome is fitted loosely alifting plug,p, which, at its lower end, has a flange, which encirclesthe upper end of the valve-stem, and has a lifting pin, q, securedhorizontally through it, and passing loosely throughoa vertical slot,lr, in the valve-stem j.

By raising th'e plug, the valve-stem is raised, but, on forcing ltheplug down, the pin q will move down freely in the slot 'r until thebottom of the plug strikes upon and is arrested by the plate e, so thatthe valve 7i cannot' be' loaded by weighting or-forcing down the plush i`S is a lock-up post, secured to the plate e near one of the rods j'.flh'rough horizontal holes in them, the hasp of a padlock is passed,which prevents turning the rod j, to loosen or remove the plate c, to'tamper with the valve.

A novel form of low-water indicator is shown in combination with thedescribed safety-valve and steampressure im'licator-valve. It consist ofa bent pipe or tube, u, forming a siphon, with its two vertical andparallel legs passing through and fastened steam-tight tothe valve-plate@and extending down into the steam-boiler, so that the shorter legreaches to low- Water line, and the other, longer leg, extends into thewater below low-water line. I

rlhe upper bent end of the siphon-pipe passes loosely through and nearthe upper end of a vertical slot, u, in the valve-stem j IV is an alarm-whistle, communicating with the dome-chamber 0, and blown by escapesteam, which may be used if required.

To secure the most desirable expansion of the cylinder d and theSiphon-tube u, they may be made of brass, or of metal having stillgreaterb expansion. They may be made of iron, but with less degree ofutility for the purposes required of them. A

In describing the operation of the described device, the combination ofthe safety-valve a and the steampressure indicator-valve Ja will rstvbeconsidered..

The described apparatus is attached, by a steamjoint, to a steam-boilerover a steam-.outlet port, after having been adjusted for use bybringing the valve a' to its'seat b by tightening the bolts ff, or byturning and screwing the cylinder d into the plate e'. The valve aopening downward, the pressure of steam in* the boiler acts to keep itou its seat.

The indicator-valve k, being weighted to resist a given pressure ofsteam in the boiler, will, when the steam exceeds that pressure, b'eopened, and will escape steam from the boiler into and up through thecylinder d and the chamber o, and out into theatmosphere through thewhistle W and around the plug p. This escape steam, in coming in contactwith he cylinder' (l, imparts its heat to it, expanding and lengtheningit. Part of this lengthening of the cylinder l willbe by upwardmovement, as the posts ff expand slightlfy, and as the rubber cushions gg arc compressible; but most of its lengthening movement will bedownward,'from the support the cylinder (l has by the plate e, so that,by its described expansion, it will force open the safetyvalve a.

When steam has escaped through the safety-valve a so as to reducesuiciently its pressure in the boiler, the indicator-valve 7c willreseat, shutting off the escape of 'steam through the cylinder d, uponwhich its temperature will speedily be reduced, thereby contracting andshortening it, and reseating the valve a.

The operation of the described device when the lowwater indicator isemployed in combination with it is as follows:

The boiler being filled with water above lowwater line, and steamgenerated in the boiler, will cause water from the boiler to rise inboth'legs of the siphon u, filling them' in proportion to the capacityof the steampressure to compress air in the siphon. The heated water andair in that part of the two legs of the siphon Within the cylinder dincrease their temperature, causing them to expandand lengthen, andthey, being fixed y to the valve-plate a, will have anupward-lengthening, movement, but not suiicient to cause the upper sidefof the bent part of the Siphon-tube to come in con-f tact with the upperend of the s lot c of the valve-stem' j, thus avoiding lifting thevalve-stem j and valve 7s by: the Siphon-tube -u when theylatter is ator below tliei temperature of boiling water.

Then the water in the boiler falls below low-water line, and below theend of the short leg of the siphontube, thewater in the Siphon-tube willflow out of it, down through the long leg, into the boiler, and steam;flowing from the boiler up through the short leg, willL take itsplace,which will give to the Siphon-tube u a. higher temperature, expandingand lengthening it, so that its upper bent end will bear against theupper edge of the slot c, and lift the stem j, and opeuthereby the valveIt. Steam escaping from the valve l: will then, as before described,expand, and lengthen the cylinder' d, and open thereby the safety-valvea.

While thewater in the boiler is below low-water line, steam will be inthe Siphon-tube, and thelatter will .continue to keep the valve 7c openuntil the valvestem j becomes heated by the escape steam which surroundsit, when its lengthening by expansion will reseat the valve 7c, and stopthe escape of steam into the cylinder d until the valve-stein becomescooled, which, contracting and shortening it, `will againv lift thevalve h, and again escape. steam into the cylinder (l.

At each opening of the valve k, the alarm-whistle W is blown by escapesteam.

- O11 pumping water into the boiler, and filling it above low-waterline,and mmersiug thefend of the short leg of the Siphon-tube, Waterwill again be forced up into the Siphon-tube, the steam within it beingdisplaced and condensed, and thejtemperature of the tube being reduced,it will be shortenedby contraction, and the valve 7c will reseat.

I will now describegthe construction and operation of the other ,form ofmyinvention shown in figs. 3 and 4.

This combination differs butin one essential feature from that shown iniigs.'1 and 2, which is, that the siphontube u in the latter issubstituted in the former by a secondary cylinder within the cylinderrl, forming thereby, between the two cylinders, an annular water andsteam -chamber, and Siphon-pipes connecting it with the water or steamin the boiler at and below low-water line.

In figs. 3 and 4, a is the safety-valve, seated at b on the'plate c, and

l is the cylinder-connection to the safety-valve a, as before described,of flgsl and 2. I

The cylinder d has its upper end screwed to a flange, x, of the plate c,and has an external annular shoulder, b-, which abuts against aninternal shoulder of a cap, a', which last is connected 'to thebase-plate c by being cast with it to connecting-columns e' z.

A- rubber cushion-ring, y, is placed between the upper end of thecylinder al and the plate e, forming a steam-joint. j

There is also a rubber cushion-ring, c', between the shoulder b'and thecap, a.

(Z is a lock-bolt, passing freely through either of the bolt-holes e eof the plate c, and screwed into a screwhole, f', of the CSMP, a',nearly down to the plate e,'a space being left between the head ofthebolt and the plate e to admit of the hereafter-described necessaryupward-expansion movement of the cylinder d.

h isrthe valve-seat projection; c', the steam-inlet port; j, thevalve-stem; k, the valve; Z, the valveguide flange; 'nt m, thesteam-outlet ports; n a, the weights; o, the dome-chamber; p, thevalve-lifting plug; q, the lifting pin; 1', the valve-stem slot; and W,the alarm-whistle; all constructed and adapted as before described in4figs. l and 2.

g is a cylinder, placed concentrically within the cylinder (l, withitslower contracted end screwed to the valve-seat projection Il., auditsupper open end abutting against theshoulder a: of the plate e, with arubber cushion between the two, forming a steam-joint. l

A steam or water-chamber, j', is thus formed between the cylinders d andg.

To secure equal and most desirable expansion of the cylinders el and g',they should be made of similar metal of great expansive qualities, andthe posts z z should be of metal less expansive.

i i are two pipes, passing vertically through and fastened steam-tightin the valve-plate a. One of the pipes leads down to low-water line inthe boiler, and the other leads down a little below low-waterline, thetwo pipes' opening into the chambers j,"and thus forming aSiphon-communication from it to the boiler.

In describing the operation of the apparatus shown in figs. 3 and 4, itis only necessary to consider the operation of the low-waterindicator-attachment, consisting of the Siphon-chamber j andtheysiphon-tubes 'i' t, for the'other parts of thel apparatus operate'as before described of the similar parts shown in Iigs. l and 2. Y

The apparatus heilig attached, as before described,

to the steam-boiler, and the boiler being supplied with water, and steamgenerated from it, the steam-pressure will force the hot water of theboiler up through the immersed Siphon-pipes i 'i' into 'the chamber j',compressing the air within it, and lling it with water from the boiler,in proportion to the pressure of steam within the boiler.

The hot water and air within the chamber j' will impart theirtemperature to. the cylinders d and g', expanding and lengthening them.Their lengthening will be by upward movement, while attaining thetemperature of the hot water, as the valve a, being kept to its seat bypressure of steam in the boiler, supports the lower ends of thecylinders, and the rubber cushion c' is compressible to the degreerequired to permit the described lengthening-movement of the cylinders.

When the water in the boiler gets below low-waterv line, the lower endof the shorter pipet" will be out of the Water and in the steam, whenthe water inthe pipes fi' i' and chamber j'will ow out through thelonger pipe into the boiler, and steam, flowing up through the'shorterpipe, will take the place of it. The steam within the chamber j willimpart a higher temperature to the cylinders l and g" than the hot waterdid, causing them to expand and lengthen still more; and, as the cushionc'. and shoulder of the cap, a', prevent this further lengthening of thecylinders from being by upward movement, it will be by down- .wardmovement, which will force open the safety-valve a, and relieve theboiler of steam. *A Steam will continue to escape through thesafety-valve a until water is supplied to the boiler to li it abovelow-water line, when the cylinders d and g will become reduced' intemperatureby water from the boiler being forced up -the pipes i' 'i'into the chamber j. This reducing of the temperature ofthe cylinderscontracts and shortens them, and the safety-valve a. is therebyreseated.

'indicate low Water in steam-boilers by means of escape steam fromthe`boiler expanding metal connections,

which operate, by expansion, to open an alarm-valve, which'only relievesthe boiler of steam sufficiently to blow a steam-whistle and give analarm; but

adapting a safety-valve to relieve the boiler of steam sujcientlyto'prevent explosion of the boiler, either or both at excessive pressure-of steam and at low water, by expansion'of metal connections operatingsaid valve, I claim as new, and of my invention.4

I claim as new, and of my inventionl. A safety-valve forsteam-generators, adapted to be opened and closed by expansion andcontraction of metal connections therewith, constructed substantially asherein set forth. A 4.

2. The construction of the safety-valve devicesfor steam-generators foropening and closing the valve by expansion 'and contraction of the metalconnections therewith, combined with the steam-pressure indicator-valve,so .that when the latter is opened by excessive pressure oi steam vinthe boiler, steam escaping from it acts' to expand said-'metalconnections, and

thereby causes them to open the safety-Valve, and relieve the boilerofexcessive pressure oflsteam, as herein set forth.

3. The satety-valve devices for steamgenerators, constructed as hereinset forth, whereby .to open and close, by expansion and contraction ofmetal connections therewith, the valve-ports, in combination with thesteam-pressure and low-water indicator-valve, so that, both at excessivepressure of steam and at low water in the boiler, they will operate, andthe indicatorvalve will open, and steam from the boiler, escapingthrough it, will act to expand said metal connections, and thereby causethem to open the safety-Valve, and relieve the boiler, as herein setforth.

4. The safety-valve devices a and the steam-pressure indicator-valvedevices k, combined and adapted to operate together substantially asdescribed.

5. The siphon-tube u and the steam-pressure indicator-valve k,combinedsubstantially as described.

6. The combination of the safety-valve a with the steam-pressure andlow-water indicator-valve 7c and Siphon-tube u, substantially asdescribed.

7. The arrangement, with the steam-valves, of .the

